Thursday, March 11, 2010

Time For Some Gardening Tips...!


Slowly we are seeing more signs of Spring coming soon!

Of course, for many of us Spring means gardening time and working with the flower beds and the garden plots. Visions of home grown vegetables and beautiful flowers and herbs dance around in our head, like the vision of sugarplums in the minds of children at Christmas time!

In keeping with that line of thinking, I thought this would be a good time to post an article about companion planting. This is a very useful and common sense way of helping the plants in your garden not only grow well, but also helps to do away with a lot of typical garden pest!

Taken from the pages of the Farmer's Almanac, this can be a very useful list.

It takes more than good soil, sun, and nutrients to ensure success in a garden. Plants have to grow well with one another. Some are friends and some are foes! Here are some examples of plant companions.

• Dill and basil planted among tomatoes protect the tomatoes from hornworms, and sage scattered about the cabbage patch reduces injury from cabbage moths.

• Marigolds are as good as gold when grown with just about any garden plant, repelling beetles, nematodes, and even animal pests.

• Some companions act as trap plants, luring insects to themselves. Nasturtiums, for example, are so favored by aphids that the devastating insects will flock to them instead of other plants.

• Carrots, dill, parsley, and parsnips attract garden heroes—praying mantises, ladybugs, and spiders—that dine on insect pests.

• While white garlic and onions repel a plethora of pests and make excellent neighbors for most garden plants, the growth of beans and peas is stunted in their presence.

• Potatoes and beans grow poorly in the company of sunflowers, and although cabbage and cauliflower are closely related, they don’t like each other at all.

Much of companion planting is common sense: Lettuce, radishes, and other quick-growing plants sown between hills of melons or winter squash will mature and be harvested long before these vines need more leg room.


Of course, this only scratches the surface on this idea. There are many books devoted to this way of planting, as well as many articles online that can be of help if you are planning to garden in this manner. You might want to check this out before doing your planting! Of course, this is just a suggestion.

Now, let's get some fresh coffee and go sit outside. You can help me watch for the hummingbirds!

16 comments:

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

Good thing that those old adwises didn´t get totally forgotten! They are so true and by following them we can reduce the use of different poisons in our gardens!

But up here in the north spring is still far away. This last night was the less cold we´ve had in months now, 28F. But it will snow again tomorrow they say :-) :-)
Have a great day now!
Christer.

HermitJim said...

Hey Christer...
I keep forgetting that you are on a different weather cycle than we are here in the states!

28f is pretty cold! I'm afraid that you can have all of my share of that weather, my friend!

I appreciate the visit today, buddy! You stay warm, OK?

Momlady said...

Because the deer seem to love every vegetable I've tried to plant I'm going for herbs this year. Besides, K and Someone will have enough to share they've started so many plants! I'll share my herbs.
If all my plants come up I'll be able to supply a restaurant!
Hope you have a "dilly" of a day.

JoJo said...

Good Morning My Special One,
great advise from the Farmers Almanac once again. Thanks for passing this along.
We had more rain last night. So I would like to come and sit on your patio for coffee and good friends

Lynnanne said...

Perfect timing and great info! It's still a tad bit early for planting most things, here in Ind., but the planning has begun!

please pass that fresh pot o'coffee, with a bit o'bailey's… yes, that should do the trick. :)

HermitJim said...

Hey Momlady...
Sounds like a plan to me. Sort of like your own version of a family co-op...

The need to grow something...ANYTHING...is getting pretty great in all of us, I think!

Thanks for coming over today!


Hey JoJo...
It can't decide what weather to present to us today, so we will just take a chance!

I do appreciate you coming by, Sweetie!


Hey Acorn...
When we can't plant, then planning is the next best thing! Everyone is really ready to get outside and have some Spring, I think!

The doctored coffee isn't a bad idea this morning!

Thanks for dropping in!

Kyddryn said...

I'll have to see how Someone feels about putting in some dill and basil with the tomatoes...last time I had tomatoes growing at Casa de Crazy, they were invaded by Giant Green Critters of Doom...er...hornworms. They are vicious, man-eating creatures that spit acid and breathe fire and...umm...sigh, never mind. They WERE impressive looking things, anyway.

Thanks for the informative post, Mister Hermit, sir!

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

Ranger Squirrel said...

Perfect timing sir...had a friend ask about this just the other day.

Squirrel

HermitJim said...

Hey K...
Sounds like some ferocious critters, for sure! A little like one of my ex wives!

Seriously, because of the reduced need for pesticides...this is a good way to go!

Just my opinion, of course!

Thanks for the visit today, my friend!

Cygnus MacLlyr said...

And me with a good old-fashioned hand-held copy of that handy book within reach...

Thanks for reminding me of it's usefulness!

upinak said...

Very interesting. Hermit I ddin't know quite a bit of this as I have never been lucky enough to know gardeners in my state. You are awesome!

FYI.. for the lady who has deer probelm. I have a Irish Spring recipe for plants... Deer, Moose and anything that tries to eat your garden HATES the smell. It works on trees too.

HermitJim said...

Hey Nephew...
Use that book! It will come in handy!

Pulled an onion out of one of my flower pots today! How cool is that?

Thanks for coming by today!


Hey Upinak...
Glad you could get some use out of it, my friend! Always good to have a reader from ther great state of Alaska...!

Thanks so much for coming by today...and don't be a stranger!

TEAM HALL said...

Hiya Jim!
You know, I am so ready for the start of gardening season! I get giddy thinking about digging in that dirt. LOL My seed orders arrived at the beginning of January and I can't wait to rip open all of those little packages!
Can you believe that I am going to travel 4 hrs to get seed potatoes this year? LOL The only farm in my province to sell organic. I figure it's all just part of the adventure...

Do you have room to plant a few veggies at your place?

You have a grand day, my friend!

HermitJim said...

Hey Cath...
Actually, I wasn't supposed to be here this time of the year, but because of Mom's health I won't be leaving anytime soon!

However, I am already pulling up green onions and have sprouts coming up in other places, so I guess I'll have a small garden in Mom's back yard!

Wishing I wasn't here...but that's life...!

Thanks for coming by today!

Mechanic in Illinois said...

Spring's alittle ways away here is central Illinois. We'll be at it as soon as the weather breaks. Thanks for the info on the friendly plants,I can always count on you. We don't have a deer problem around the garden. If they come around they become part of dinner along with the vegetables.

HermitJim said...

Hey mechanic...
Now that's a solution to the deer problem I can live with! Some fresh Bambi on the grill with garden veggies...sounds like a good plan!

Thanks for coming by today, buddy!